Fluid pressure brake apparatus



y 1936- i c. c. FARMER 2,042,091

FLUID PRESSURE BRAKE APPARATUS Original Filed Aug; 17, 1955 2 shee ts shee'b l INVENTOR CLYDE QFAR ME R A TTORNE Y May 26, 193 R 2,042,091

I FLUID- PRESSURE BRAKE A PPARATUS Original Filed Aug. 17, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5%.2; I SLACK GATHERING ANIS RELEASE POSlTiON 2o 35 MA\NTAINING SERVICE posmon 22 22 20 I4 7 3q 7\ l\\ I 6 as )3 @WsC-J LAP posTloN 'SERVICE POSITION- 22 20 22 20 I4 7 7 5 x ||Q-1IMW E l3 EMERGENCY POSITION SLACK GATHERING AND MAlNTAINING l9 SERVICE 33 37 5e; 45 k/ SERVICE EMERGENCY INVENTOR CLYDE C.FARMER BY %/xfl/ A TTORNEY Patented May 26, 11936 FLUID PRESSURE BRAKE APPARATUS Clyde 0. Farmer, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to The Westinghouse Air Brake Gompany, Wilmerding, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application August 1'7, 1933, Serial No.

685,576. Divided and this application April 19, 1934, Serial No. 721,307

9 Claims.

This application is a division of my pending application, Serial No. 685,576, filed August 17, 1933, for Improvements in fluid pressure brake systems.

The present invention relates to fluid pressure brake equipments and more particularly to the engineers automatic brake valve device for controlling the operation of such equipments.

Heretofore it has been the usual practice to have the main reservoir of a fluid pressure brake equipment in constant open communication with the rotary valve chamber of the automatic brake valve device, and due to this, when the equipment is charged with fluid under pressure, the rotary valve of the device is urged against its seat by fluid at main reservoir pressure regardless of its brake controlling position. In cases where the rotary valve is of relatively large diameter, this has been found to be objectionable, in that the frictional resistance of the valve to movement by the engineer, due to the heavy loading by fluid at main reservoir pressure, renders difficult the operation of the rotary valve to its several brake controlling positions.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an automatic brake valve apparatus having means whereby the objectionable heavy loading of the rotary valve of the apparatus by fluid at main reservoir pressure is eliminated in every clusive, are fragmentary sectional views of the automatic brake valve device illustrating the rotary valve thereof in its several brake control ling positions; and Fig. '7 is a fragmentary plan view, partly in section, of the automatic brake valve device.

The portion of the fluid pressure brake apparatus shown in the drawings comprises a brake pipe I, a main reservoir 2, an equalizing reservoir 3, a reduction limiting reservoir 4, a quick action valve device 5, a brake valve pedestal 6 on which is suitably mounted an automatic brake valve device I, an independent brake valve device 8, an equalizing discharge valve device 9, a feed valve device l and a reducing valve device ll. These parts and devices may be identical with corresponding parts and devices shown and described in my aforementioned pending application, and since the present invention relates particularly to certain features of the automatic brake valve device the following detailed description will be limited to the parts and devices necessary to attain the object of the invention.

The automatic brake valve device 1 may comprise a casing having a valve seat section l2 and a cap or cover section l3 which are secured together and to the brake valve pedestal 6. The cover section I3 is provided with a bore containing a rotary valve I4, the face of which slidablycontacts with the valve seat carried by the seat section [2 and the peripheral edge surface of which slidably contacts with the cover section l3 within said bore.

The rotary valve I4 is operatively connected to the inner end of an operating stem I5 suitably journaled in the cover section l3 of the casing. Exteriorly of the cover section, the stem is provided with an operating handle I6 through the medium of which the stem and thereby the rotary valve M are adapted to be rotated. This handle is preferably provided with the usual spring controlled plunger H which is adapted to cooperate with a notched quadrant it, carried by the cover section l3, to yieldably resist movement of the handle from one posit-ion to another and recess and peripheral surface of the valve defining a chamber l9 which, in each of the several operating positions of the valve, as will .be observed.

from an inspection of Fig. 7 of the drawings, is in communication with a chamber at the back of the rotary valve by way of one or more cavities 2| in the back of the valve. The rotary valve chamber 20 is constantly open to a fluid pressure supply passage 22 leading from the feed valve device Ill.

For the purpose of controlling communication from the main reservoir 2 to the chamber 19 and consequently to therotary valve chamber 20, a

valve piston 23 is provided which is slidably mounted in the cover section l3 of the casing. This valve piston is provided, at one end, with a gasket 25 which is adapted to seat on an an nular seat rib 25 carried by the casing and thus close communication through a passage 26 lead-.

ing to the chamber l9. At the outside of the seat 1 rib 25, the face of the valve piston and the casing define a chamber 21 with which the main reseracts to urge the valve piston .in..the direction.

voir 2 is in constant open communication by way of a pipe and passage 28. The valve piston, at its other end, is provided with a valve 29 which is adapted to seat on a gasket 30 clamped between the casing sections l2 and I3.

The chamber 27, at one side of the valve piston, is in constant communication, through .a flow restricting port 3| of small diameter in the valve piston, with a chamber 32 at the other side,

which chamber 32 is open to a passage 33 leading to the seat of the rotary valve [4. Contained in the chamber 32 is a coil spring 34 which toward the seat rib 25.

In charging a fluid pressure brake equipmentit is the usual practice for the engineer to first move the rotary valve [4 of the brake valve device to release position andth'en; after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, to move the rotary valve to running position. With '.the= rotary valve M in release position, the supplyof fluid'under pressure to charge the equipment is from themain reservoir 2 'and with the rotary, valve-in running, position the supply of fiuid;-is"

from the feed valve device Ill. By, thus supplying fluid under pressure from the main reservoir, the time required to fully charge a brake equipment ismaterially reduced over that which would be required if the supply of fiuidwerefrom the feed .valve device only.

Itwill be seen from Figs. 1 and.3.to 6 inclusive that. in. every position of the brake valve device, the rotary'valve .M laps the passage 33 so that in these positions the chamber 32 .is charged with fluid atmain reservoir pressure as supplied "by way of pipe and passage 28, chamber. 21 and port 31 in the valve piston. With thechamber 32 .thus charged. the spring 34' as .well as the. pressure of fluid in thechamber actto maintain the valve pistonin its upper seated position as shown .in Fig. 1.

When the rotary valve I4 is moved .to release position, a cavity 35 in the valve connects the passage 33, leading from the chamber. 32; to.a passage.56 leading to the atmosphere. The flow area of. each of the. passages .33 and..55 and of the cavity 35 is greater'than that of. the port 3| in. the valve piston, so that .a reduction in the.

pressure flows from..the-chamber.21'to the rotary valvechamber 20-by way of passage 26, chamber I9, andcavities 2!.. I4 is in release position, .the valve-piston .wil1.re-. main in its innermost position and fluid at main reservoir .pressurewill be supplied to the rotary valve chamber .20.

From the valve chamber 20 fluid under pressure flows by way of aaport 36 in. the rotary valve.

I4 and a passage 31 to the piston chamber .of the equalizingrdischarge valve device 9, and from..

passage31 fluidjlows through a pipe 38 to the equalizing,reservoir}.v Fluidalso flows from the valve. .chamber 20 byway of a-port 39 in the rotary valve and a passage Mlto a sup-plyvalve chamber in. the. equalizing. discharge valve device.9..v Sincethe equalizing discharge valve de= Aslong. asthe. rotary valve vice 9 has been fully shown and described in my aforementioned pending application and. since this device will notbe included in the appended claims, a showing of the piston chamber and supply valve chamber above mentioned is deemed 5 unnecessary.

From the passage 40 fluid-under pressure flows to the brake pipe I by wayof. a.passage 4| in a plug valve 42, a passage 43 and a pipe 44.

With the rotary valve M in running position 1 as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the port 36' in the valvecontinues to establish communication-from-the'valvechamber 20 to passage 31 leading,totheequalizing discharge valve device 9and' equalizing; reservoir 3. Further the port 1 39 of the rotary .valve continues to establish communication. from:.the valve chamber 29 to the passagedfl; Thisport 39 also establishes communication from the chamber 20 to an exhaust chamberxfliot shown) in the equalizing discharge 2 valve device 9 by .way of a passage -.45,--a-passage 4B..in-a,.plug: valve 41. and. apassage 48. It will... thus be seen that with the rotaryvalve in.run ningposition and the passage 22 open tothe rotary. valve chamber 20,,thebrake pipe 1 I, mains. -2 taining reservoir and several chambers. oflthe. equalizing, discharge valve device are. charged]-. with fluid at feed valve pressure.

From an inspection of Fig..'? of the drawings: it will be. seen that when the. rotary ,valve .I4-.of ..3 the.brakevalve .device is beingmoved from .re-.- lease position toward runningpositionthecom: munication. from the. chamber l9 and. conse-. quently. from themainreservoir to the cham: ber 20 byway. of cavities-.2.l isgradually closed, 3 so that'the supply of fluid-.from the main. resenvoir -2 to the. brake pipe is.. gradually reduced,..and... at. substantially the sametime as. this communi-. cation is closed,.the. passage .33 islapped-bytherotary valve. WithLthepassage .33.lapped,.fluid under .pressureflowing throughthe. port 3| inthe valve piston.23. from .the chamber?! to the chamber 32, increases the pressure insaidchamber 32.

' When the .pressurein. chamber -32-has beenincreased .to substantially.thepressure of. fluid actingnonnthewotherside.of.. the .valve piston the spring..34 .acts..to.move.the valve piston. toits outer. seatedposition;.thus.c1osing ofi the further. flow of fluid. from-the.mainreservoirto thechamber l9. 5

It. :Will be seen. from. the foregoing description that. the rotary valve of the automatic. brake valve device is urged against its seat by fluid-at.- feed valvepressure inevery brake controlling position with the-exception ofrelease position instead of 'by fluid at. main-reservoir pressure as has been'the practice heretofore, thus'renderr-' ing the rotary "va'lve more easily operable .than has heretofore beenpossible'.

While one illustrative embodiment of ''the in vention has "been described in detail, it 'is not my intention to limit its scope to that embodi ment or otherwise than by the terms of the ap pended claims.

Having'now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Ina fluid pressure brake, the combination with a brake pipe, a main reservoir and a feed'7 valve device, a brake valve device. having a 'cham ber supplied with fluid at feed valve pressure, a rotaryvalve in. said chamber having a running position and a. release position in which 'fluid under pressure is supplied iron said chamber to 7 the brakepipe, valve means operable at all times upon movement of the rotary valve to release position andas long as the rotary valve is maintained in release position for supplying fluid at main reservoir pressure to said chamber, and a cavity in the periphery of said rotary valve through which fluid supplied by said valve means flows to said chamber.

2. In a fluid pressure brake, the combination with a brake pipe, a main reservoir and a feed valve device, a brake valve device having a chamber supplied with fluid at feed valve pressure, a rotary valve in said chamber having a running position and a. release position in which fluid under pressure is supplied from said chamber to the brake pipe, valve means operable at all times upon movement of the rotary valve to release position and as long as the rotary valve is maintained in release position for supplying fluid at main reservoir pressure to said chamber, a cavity in the periphery of said rotary valve through which fluid supplied by said valve means flows to said chamber, and means cooperating with the rotary valve to gradually throttle the supply of fluid at main reservoir pressure to said chamber as the rotary valve is moved from release position toward running position.

3. In a fluid pressure brake, the combination with a brake pipe, a main reservoir and a feed valve device, a brake valve device having a chamber supplied with fluid at feed valve pressure, a rotary valve in said chamber having a running position and a releaseposition inwhich fluid under pressure is supplied from said chamber to the brake pipe, a communication through which fluid at main reservoir pressure is adapted to be supplied to said chamber, a spring, a valve piston subject on one side to fluid under pressure and the pressure of said spring for maintaining said communication closed while the rotary valve is in running position and operative at all times upon a reduction in the fluid pressure for supplying fluid at main reservoir pressure through said communication to said chamber, and means included in the rotary valve for reducing the pressure on said side of the valve piston upon movement of the rotary valve to release position and as long as the rotary valve is in release position.

4. In a fluid pressure brake, the combination with a brake pipe, a main reservoir and a feed valve device, a brake valve device having a chamber supplied with fluid at feed valve pressure, a rotary valve in said chamber having a running position and a release position in which fluid under pressure is supplied from said chamber to the brake pipe, a communication through which fluid at main reservoir pressure is adapted to be supplied to said chamber, a spring, a valve piston subject on one side to fluid under pressure and on the other side to the pressure of said spring and fluid under pressure supplied thereto through a restricted port for maintaining said communication closed while the rotary valve is in running position and operative at all times upon a reduction in the pressure of fluid 0n the spring side of said valve piston to supply fluid at main reservoir pressure to said chamber, and means included in the rotary valve operated upon movement of said rotary valve to release position for venting fluid under pressure from the spring side of the valve piston as long as the rotary valve is in release position.

5. In a fluid pressure brake, the combination .with a brake pipe, a main reservoir and a feed valve device, a brake valve device having a chamber supplied with fluid at feed valve pressure, a rotary valve in said chamber having a running position and a release position in which fluid under pressure is supplied from said chamber to the brake pipe, a communication through which fluid at main reservoir pressure is adapted to be supplied to said chamber, a spring, a valve piston subject on one side to fluid under pressure and the pressure of said spring for maintaining said communication closed while the brake valve device is in running position and operative at all times upon a reduction in the fluid pressure for supplying fluid at main reservoir pressure through said communication to said chamber, and a cavity in said rotary valve establishing communication through which fluid under pressure is vented to effect a reduction in the pressure of fluid on said side of the valve piston as long as the rotary valve is in release position.

6. In a fluid pressure brake, the combination with a brake pipe, a main reservoir and a feed valve device, of a brake valve device comprising a casing having a chamber supplied with fluid under pressure from the feed valve device, a rotary valve in said chamber having a running position for establishing communication through which fluid under pressure is supplied from said chamber to the brake pipe, and having a release position in which said communication is closed and another communication is established from the valve chamber to the brake pipe, pressure sensitive means closing communication from the main reservoir to said chamber when the rotary valve is in running position and operative at all times upon movement of the rotary valve to release position and as long as the rotary valve is in release position for establishing communication through which fluid under pressure is supplied from the main reservoir to said chamber and consequently to the brake pipe, and means included in the rotary valve for controlling the operation of said pressure sensitive means.

7. In a fluid pressure brake in combination, a

brake pipe, a main reservoir, a brake valve device comprising a rotary valve having a release position in which fluid under pressure is supplied from the main reservoir to the brake pipe, valve means automatically operative in the release position of. the rotary valve for supplying fluid under pressure from the main reservoir to the brake pipe without limitation as long as the rotary valve is in release position, and means included in the rotary valve for controlling the operation of the valve means.

8. In a fluid pressure brake, in combination, a brake pipe, a main reservoir, a feed valve device, a brake valve device having a chamber supplied with fluid at feed valve pressure, a rotary valve in said chamber having a running position and a release position in either of which positions fluid under pressure is supplied from said chamber to the brake pipe, valve means automatically operative to supply fluid under pressure from the main reservoir to the chamber, and means in said rotary valve adapted in the release position of the rotary valve to effect the automatic operation of said valve means to supply fluid under pressure from the main reservoir to the chamber without limitation.

9. In a fluid pressure brake, in combination, a brake pipe, a main reservoir, a feed valve device, a brake valve device having a chamber supplied with fluid at feed valve pressure, a rotary valve in said chamber having a running position and a release position in either of which positions fluid under pressure is supplied from said chamber to the brake pipe, valvemeansflautomatially operative to supplyfiuid underpressure from the main reservoir to the chamber, and means in said rotary valve adapted'in the release position-of the rotary valve to efiect the automatic operation of saidvalvemeans to supply fluid under pressure from the main reservoir to the chamber as long as the rotary'valve is in release position.

CLYDE C. FARMER. 

